Ethiopian Coffee

ETHIOPIAN COFFEE

Ethiopian Coffee is called ‘Bunna’ (boo-na) by the Ethiopians. The ceremony begins with washed coffee beans and roasting them in a coffee roasting pan on small open fire/coal.

The long handled pan is slowly held and shaken over the fire until the coffee beans start to pop and crackle. The roasted Ethiopian coffee fills the air and is walked around the room so the smell can be approved for the eager (but relaxed) guests. The whole roasted coffee is then ground and put in a traditional pot made out of clay called ‘jebena’ (J-be-na) with water and boiled in the small open fire/coal furnace.

Once boiled the coffee is served in small cups called ‘cini’ (si-ni) which are very small cups. The second and third serving are important enough that each serving has a name, first serving is called “Abol”; second serving is “Tona”(second) and third serving is “Bereka”.

A hugely social pastime that brings people together to talk and relax, something the western world has forgotten.

Kutti – Coffee leaf tea – This really is a wonderful infusion that has worked for me for many years. Coffee leaf is for sure the new kid on the block when it comes to herbal tea, It has been drank in Ethiopia for many years. Known as Kuti in Ethiopia, coffee leaf tea is made from the leaf part only of the coffee plant. It is said to help with diabetes, heart conditions or pressure, digestive systems and many more…. These leaves, after being roasted, can be ground up or crumpled, then brewed or steeped in hot water in a form similar to tea. The resulting liquor is similar in taste to green tea, but with less caffeine content than either regular tea or coffee. They closely resemble the leaves and stalks of Paraguay tea. Even though it is not a widely imbibed substance, researchers from England and France have discovered that a tea made from coffee leaves packs even more antioxidants and healthful compounds than either regular tea or coffee. In some regions, such as Sumatra and Ethiopia, only the leaves are taken from the coffee plant and the berries left on the bush. The natives of these places and other experimental drinkers find that the concoction stems hunger and tends to energize both the body and mind while actually having less caffeine than the roasted bean brew. The scientists found that “coffee leaf tea” contained high levels of compounds credited with lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes.